


Ignore Your Loved Ones

by Bagoftricks



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-12 13:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2112456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bagoftricks/pseuds/Bagoftricks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Annie doesn't seem to know how text messaging works so she does the next most logical thing instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ignore Your Loved Ones

**Author's Note:**

> This is literally nonsense I don't know have fun

It’s been three weeks and to say that Annie is freaking out would be putting it lightly. She shouldn’t be having this problem- _really she shouldn’t_ \- but here she is. Having this problem.

She remembers feeling so absolutely _giddy_ , standing there in her room with Mikasa at the end of the room, remembers the satisfaction of seeing Mikasa fumbling and flailing as she- the ever logical one- pointed out, “ _You know, there’s this thing called texting? Amazing_.”

Okay, maybe Annie was fumbling and flailing too and maybe she currently is now and she wishes she had never mentioned the texting thing because she just can’t seem to do it.

It’s not a problem with her phone and her thumbs aren’t broken or anything. It’s just, every time she opens her contacts and selects Mikasa’s information, her brain goes numb. What is she even supposed to say? ‘ _Hey_ ’ seems too casual but she isn’t sure she’s allowed to just dump a detailed report of her day on Mikasa out of the blue either.

It doesn’t really help that Mikasa hasn’t texted her yet, either, but that’s an entirely different can of worms that Annie doesn’t even want to guess the contents of. As of this moment, she’s managed to convince herself that Eren probably crushed Mikasa’s phone in his hand in a fit of rage-induced melodrama and so she had to get it replaced, but unfortunately could not salvage her contacts.

She refuses to think more in-depth about it; honestly, her theory is just as likely as anything else and she is satisfied with it because in this scenario it means that Mikasa probably wants to talk to her but no longer has the means, rather than the flipside where Mikasa has all of the means but none of the desire.

Of course, that just means responsibility for contacting Mikasa falls squarely on Annie’s slim shoulders. It is a weight she is not sure she is comfortable with bearing, but it’s also not like she can just ignore Mikasa for the entire summer and then expect her to still be her girlfriend when school starts up again.

“Just fuckin’ do it already.” Annie breathes as she stares down at the damned gadget clutched between white-knuckled fingers. “You really gonna be like this, Annie? She’s your god damn girlfriend. Just. Just select her name… send a text…”

Her fingers hover over her phone’s keyboard but she can’t bring herself to punch any buttons. She knows she doesn’t have to write an essay or anything but she figures she should at least make up an excuse as to why she hasn’t tried to talk to Mikasa until now. The problem is, she doesn’t know what to tell her besides the truth, but that just makes Annie seem lame and pathetic and like she cares far too much, which is obviously a bad thing. Well, maybe caring isn’t _bad_ but she doesn’t want to seem like she’s trying too hard is the thing.

Her hands shake as she tries to will herself to at least punch in _one single letter_ , maybe two (she’s thinking she’s just going to go for a simple ‘ _hi_ ’ because ‘ _hey_ ’ is far too many letters for her knotting stomach to handle) but she can’t even manage that. She flips her phone shut and, deciding that the hellish piece of technology needs to be out of her sight _immediately_ , chucks through the doorway.

Reiner happens to be walking by right then, halfway through a pilfered Hot Pocket. The phone hits him right in the forehead and Annie immediately feels better about her dilemma.

Reiner, to his credit, doesn’t even react. He just stoops down to pick up Annie’s phone and tosses it back to her.

“No I don’t _want it_!” Annie scrambles to the other side of her bed and kicks the phone away from her.

“You need to text her eventually.”

“Or call her.” Bertl adds monotonously from the living room, where whatever weird infomercial that happens to be playing has him trapped in morbid fascination. “Chatting on the phone is nice.”

“Did he steal one of my Hot Pockets too?” Annie asks, deciding that is a far more important thing to be discussing. She isn’t made of the things, after all, and would very much like to still have some left over come morning.

“You said everything in the fridge was fair game.” Reiner points out.

“Spontaneous visits are nice too.” Annie hears Bertl shuffle down the hall towards her room. He pokes his head around the doorframe, and she knows he is sheepishly hiding a Hot Pocket and a quiet fury builds inside of her. “You know, just showing up out of the blue every now and then with flowers or dinner reservations.”

“I hope you’re taking notes, Reiner.” Annie grumbles.

Reiner scoffs. “He’s talking from experience, not fantasy.”

Annie heaves the heaviest sigh and falls back on her bed. “Oh my god you’re _so damn lame_.”

Reiner makes a disinterested noise and digs around in his pocket. “Hey, Annie, pay attention. I’m about to show you how to text the person you’re dating.” As he pulls out his phone, his car keys slide out of his pocket and jingle obnoxiously on the floor.

Annie sits bolt upright. “Reiner.”

“What?”

“You’re my best friend.”

Bertl lets out the most indignant shriek she has ever had the displeasure of processing, but Annie won’t let it deter her.

“I need to steal your car.”

\---

Right now, Mikasa is alone with Armin for the first time since the start of summer. Eren is getting a very stern talking-to from their mother about keeping up with his chores. This could give Mikasa anywhere from half-an-hour to an entire day to get the information she needs. He’s curled up in an armchair with one of her books, content with the silence left in the wake of an overzealous sixteen-year-old boy. He is relaxed, not at all expecting the hell about to rain down upon him.

The time to strike is now.

“Armin.”

“Yes?”

“You need to tell me.”

Armin’s previously cheery disposition suddenly vanishes, only to be replaced by an impressively indifferent expression containing only _slight_ traces of terror. “Tell you what?” He says smoothly.

“Cut the crap, I know Eren told you where he put it. He tells you everything.”

“Not true.” Armin disagrees, glancing warily from side to side. “I mean, he doesn’t tell me why he hates lemons so much. I try to ask him and it’s just a bunch of incoherent screeching for an entire hour.”

“Everything makes him angry, Armin, now _tell me where he put it_.”

Armin carefully avoids looking Mikasa in the eye and says slowly, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

She slams her hands down on his armrests. To his credit, he only flinches a little. “Armin, I know you’re lying, you’re doing the thing!”

“What thing?”

“The thing where you miraculously _get good at talking_!”

Armin’s eyes snap onto Mikasa’s, mouth hanging open. “Wha- I- that’s not a thing! I don’t get good at talking! I mean- I’m _always_ good at talking, I- you-,” He puffs his cheeks out, face growing red. At first Mikasa thinks he has made the decision to go down with the ship; to hold his breath until he passes out and is no longer a threat to Eren’s plan.

But then he recognizes his defeat, and his resolve leaves him with the air he has stored up in his lungs. “I… don’t know where it is, Mikasa. I really don’t.”

She examines him carefully, wary that he has adapted now that she has made him aware of his tell. After a few moments, she decides that there is no way even he could have adjusted so quickly and therefore is probably not lying.

“Am I _really_ going to have to take this to Carla?”

“What?” Armin’s face screws up in a new kind of terror. “ _No, she’ll hate me forever_!”

“He took my phone, Armin. I need that for… things.” Mikasa says. “Like, you know…”

“… Talking to people?” Armin prompts.

“Yes.”

“Like who? Aren’t Eren and I typically the only people you talk to?”

“No!” Mikasa snaps. “I talk to Sasha!” And also her girlfriend, theoretically, if she had her phone to talk to her girlfriend with. She doesn’t say this out loud, though, because with the way Armin and Eren have been acting they do not deserve to be privy to this information. (Also Mikasa has no idea how to bring it up at this point.)

“Oh. Well.” Armin slumps in his chair. “I wish I could help you, Mikasa, really. But I honestly don’t know where Eren put it. I could barely even understand _why_ he took it. Something about,” Armin waves a hand aimlessly, “Um, payback.”

“For what?” Mikasa asks, exasperated.

“For _conniving_ together behind my back!”

Armin yelps and hides behind his book. Mikasa straightens up and turns to fix a stern glare on her brother.

“This is your _last_ chance to tell me, Eren, and I mean it.” Mikasa says firmly. “If you do not return my phone to me right now, I will bring this to Carla’s attention.”

Eren visibly pales and Mikasa knows she has hit close to home. With the memory of one of their mother’s infamous lectures fresh in his brain, he won’t be wanting to go through another one so soon.

“Okay.” Eren says, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. “Okay, okay, just- don’t do anything we’ll regret, Mikasa, okay?”

“Phone.”

“Look, I took your phone because you were avoiding Armin and me and I got a little upset-,”

“I’m going to count to three.”

“-because I assumed you just suddenly thought you liked your new friends better-,”

“One.”

“-Jean was bragging about all his medals or whatever but that’s beside the point-,”

“Two.”

“-and by the way someone really needs to clean the men’s bathroom, _I’m off track again shit sorry_ -,”

“Three.” Mikasa starts to step around him, but Eren falls to the ground at her feet.

“ _I lost it Mikasa I’m so sorry_!”

“You… what.”

“I was going to hide it in the basement.” Eren says frantically. “Just for a day or two. Then I was going to give it right back. But when I went to get it back it was gone! I wanted to give it back to you like two weeks ago but when I realized I couldn’t find it I just- I panicked and pretended that it was all according to plan and I was just trying to string you along and see how long you’d play along but _I’m so sorry I have no idea where it is I’m a terrible brother and a shitty excuse for a human being_.”

Before Mikasa can agree with him or give him the punches he has earned, Carla calls her downstairs.

Mikasa lets out a long sigh. “You’re going to tear this house apart to find that phone, Eren, or so help me I will burn every single colorful note you have made me.”

“No.” Eren whispers. Armin holds a shocked hand to his mouth.

When she is certain she has made her point, she heads down to see what it is Carla requires of her.

“There’s someone for you at the door.” Carla says as she passes her in the hall. “What was Eren screaming about up there?”

“Nothing. Just typical Eren things.” Mikasa answers.

“He’s so excitable.” Carla sighs. “I wish he’d find other ways to channel all that energy. Anyways, you probably shouldn’t keep your friend waiting.”

Mikasa shrugs. She’s certain it isn’t actually someone she knows. It’s probably a case of the wrong address.

\---

“What are you doing here?” Is the first thing Mikasa says when she sees Annie standing in the doorway. She doesn’t seem overly delighted to see her.

Annie tries to formulate a response, but she’s panicking. Instead of apologizing for just randomly showing up without even sending a heads up, or for the weeks of silence, she says, “I just drove three fucking hours to get here. A ‘hello’ would be nice.”

She wants to punch herself. Is that any way to greet someone she wants to not hate her? But it’s too late, the words are out there with all their bitterness.

To her relief, Mikasa seems unaffected. She steps forward and pulls Annie into a hug. “It’s good to see you. I’m so sorry I haven’t called. Eren lost my phone.”

“I figured it was something like that.” Annie responds. She isn’t sure what to do with her hands. Hugging isn’t a thing that happens often with her. Is she supposed to pat Mikasa’s back? She thinks she is. That’s what people do, right?

“Do you want to come in?” Mikasa asks. “Eren and Armin are upstairs, but we can just go to my room.”

Annie is still trying to process the invitation when Mikasa pulls her into the house by her hand. “I have- Reiner and Bertl are still in the car.”

Mikasa pauses. “Oh. Okay.” She turns around and heads outside. Annie follows because she can’t think of many other things to do aside from stand there like an asshole.

When she reaches Reiner’s car, Mikasa knocks on the passenger-side window. Bertl quickly rolls it down and pokes his head out. “Hi, Mikasa.” He says meekly. “Sorry for showing up unannounced.”

“It’s fine.” Mikasa answers. “Do you want to come in? I’m sure Eren and Armin will be happy to see you.”

“We’d love to!” Reiner exclaims before Bertl can politely decline. He scrambles out of his car without so much as turning it off and runs up to the house, hollering at the boys to come down and see him.

Bertl sighs and reaches over to the ignition.

“What would Reiner do without you.” Annie deadpans.

“Pay a large sum of money in locksmith fees, probably.”

\---

“We’re not bothering you, are we?” Bertholdt asks Carla for what must be the thousandth time. “We showed up out of nowhere and it just seems rude of us to barge in like this…”

“You’re so polite!” Carla remarks, and it seems she isn’t sure if she wants to put her hands on her own cheeks or Bertholdt’s. “Make yourself at home, sweetheart, it really isn’t a problem.”

Reiner takes that as all the invitation he needs to thunder up the stairs and make Eren put on a violent TV program. Bertholdt offers Carla a weary smile and follows him.

“Your mom is pretty cool.” Annie remarks as Mikasa leads her down the hall to her room.

“With spawn like Eren, I’m sure she has the patience for anything.” Mikasa replies.

“With spawn like Eren, I’m surprised she hasn’t snapped. What are we doing?”

“I don’t know. Hanging out.” Mikasa flops down on her bed. She scoots over to make sure there is plenty of room for Annie, too. “Want to watch a movie or something?”

“Alright. What do you want to watch?”

\---

They’re half an episode into whatever it is Mikasa has decided she absolutely must make Annie watch. Annie had initially hoped she could stick it out because she had moderate amounts of faith that maybe it would get better, that Mikasa’s taste _couldn’t possibly_ be this bad. But she can’t do this for another minute.

“Mikasa. I don’t even know what we’re watching right now. It sucks.”

Mikasa gives her the dirtiest look. “Pardon me?” She says softly.

“I’m just saying. This show sucks. It doesn’t make any sense and also the effects are terrible.”

Mikasa puts a gentle hand on Annie’s shoulder and says very softly, “No.”

“No?”

“No.” She turns back to face the TV.

Annie is about to press the issue when Eren bursts in, screaming and waving something in his hand.

“I found it Mikasa! I found your phone! Now you can’t tell Mom!” He throws it at them, cackling.

“Where was it?” Mikasa asks.

“Bertholdt found it behind the desk! It was plugged into the charger and everything! Man, I can’t believe I forgot I left it-” Eren screeches to a halt when he spots Annie. His lips curl. “What is she doing here.”

“She brought Reiner and Bertholdt, and you’d better go play with them before they forget you exist.”

Eren narrows his eyes suspiciously, but ultimately decides that Mikasa’s warning holds merit. He eases the door shut.

Mikasa picks up her phone. “Three weeks.” She sighs. “It’s been charging behind his desk for _three weeks_.” She starts checking all of her missed calls and looking through her text messages.

Annie settles back into the pillows and makes a half-assed attempt to pay attention to the show when Mikasa says, “I don’t have any texts from you?”

Her blood freezes. “Um… I… I was waiting for…”

“You _know_ ,” Mikasa says, and Annie can feel the glower beginning to alter her features, “There’s this thing called texting. _Amazing_.”

Annie and Mikasa stare each other down for a minute. Annie runs through all the excuses she can throw at Mikasa, but the longer she thinks the sharper Mikasa’s smirk becomes.

Annie faces forward and says, “So, this warrior chick is, uh, she’s pretty cool, huh? Tell me more about the, uh… The disk thingy.”

She can _feel_ the smugness practically radiating off of Mikasa as she turns up the volume on the TV. “It’s called a Chakram.”


End file.
